We have a couple of other Breville products that we have been very happy with. So when it was time to replace our toaster, I decided that Breville was the way to go. At this point, I was so looking forward to getting it, and now, I am very disappointed with this toaster. As soon as we got it, I had to make some toast to see how it worked. as soon as the bread went down, I saw that the elements on the inside panels of both sets of slots did not light up or heat and only some of the elements on the other side of all slots heated. I used homemade whole grain bread that usually takes longer to toast. So I put it on the highest setting. At the end of the cycle, one side of the bread was partially toasted. So I turned the bread around to toast the other side - again only partially toasted using the #5 setting. Really, my old cheap toaster did better!! Since I have never been disappointed with a Breville product before, I decided to return this toaster as defective. Since the seller was not Amazon, the seller expects me to pay return shipping for a defective product. This is totally unacceptable, and I have reported this situation to Amazon. I have decided that I will give Breville another chance on this toaster, and will update this review if my experience with this product improves.The seller did finally email me a return shipping label with the help of Amazon customer service. UPDATE 11/10/16 I have increased my star rating from 1 star to 5 as we now really like this toaster. Just in case we still didn't like it, I ordered it from Bed Bath and Beyond so that the return would be easier. They don't have the 30 day limitation on returns and we have a local store. When we first got this toaster, I did toasting with no bread a couple of times to burn off anything that might be on the elements. This was recommended in the instructions. During this process, I noticed that all of the elements did not heat as much as the other side on one side of each slot. Many more heated than with the previous returned toaster, but still not all of them. Having had problems with the first toaster, I called Breville customer service the next day. They told me that the toaster was designed to make "restaurant style" toast. One side of each slice is not toasted as much as the other side so that toppings can be put onto the softer side, and the other side is crisper. The explanation sounded good, but I wasn't sure that I would like "restaurant style" toast. Our first test of the toaster was bagels. I set the toaster at level 5, pressed bagel and the toast. Our old toaster had to be set at the highest level to get anything browned. Before the toasting cycle finished, I checked the bagel and it was almost burned. The next bagel I set the toaster to level 3, and the toasting was perfect. The inside of the bagel was golden brown, and the outside was still soft. Perfect!! The ultimate test was toasting homemade bread, All of our bread is homemade and is primarily made from fresh milled whole grain flour. This type of bread is heavier than store bought bread, and takes much longer to toast. I also freeze loaves after slicing, and we take slices out as needed. For 100% frozen whole wheat bread, I set the toaster at level 5, pressed the frozen button, and then toast, and the bread went down to toast automatically.The bread was beautifully, evenly toasted. A couple of things that should be noted. Although the outside of the toaster gets only warm, it does give off a lot of heat from the top. I initially had it in a space on the counter that was under a cabinet. The underside of the cabinet got really hot - too hot to touch. I also mentioned this to Breville customer service, and was told that it should not be placed under a cabinet. I love and would recommend this toaster, but this may be a point to consider if you are considering purchasing it. UPDATE 12/21/21: We have had this toaster for over 5 years, and it still works as well as the day we got it. I love it not only for toasting bagels, but also use the bagel setting to toast hamburger buns. When the hamburger buns are toasted on one side as bagels are, they hold up much better to the hamburger and other ingredients without falling apart. When I make Belgian waffles, I always make extras for my husband to toast in this toaster. After over 5 years, this toaster still works and we still love it. If it ever poops out, I would certainly buy another of these. I hope this review was helpful for you.

The first toaster I received was completely dead, right out of the box. The second one I received is perfect. Finally, I don't have to push the toast down twice, lol! I adjust the setting depending on the thickness of the bread and it comes out perfect every time. I didn't think I'd use the peek feature but I do. It's heavy, and sturdy and I hope it lasts for years. So far, it's worth the price.

I have used this toaster before, and it's pretty great! The buttons are simple, the mechanism is a smooth raising/lowering of the bread from the toaster so you don't have that "pop goes the weasel" effect. The "just a bit more" button is cheeky but functional, and the progress lights on the "how toasted" slide bar give you an idea on how close to done your toast is at a glance, even from a distance. It looks good, toasts well, accommodates wider bread slices, and generally raises the bar with the features that it provides. Will a $10 toaster toast? Sure. Is $200 for a toaster a good price? That's up for you to decide. It is a luxury purchase for sure. We all have our reasons for what we do and what we buy, but, short of any buyers remorse for spending $200+ on a toaster, this thing shouldn't disappoint.

Whatever the issue was (see below) earlier, it stopped and has not reoccured. I think this is the best toaster I've ever owned (but it is also the most expensive, by far). Bought this toaster a year ago, December 2022. Until this morning it worked fine for the once or twice weekly uses it received. But, today it wanted to keep heating after completing one toast cycle -- indicator lights came on again and heat. Using the "cancel" button just caused the cycle to continue. Unplugged it for a few minutes and now it seems OK BUT will watch it closely over the next days -- I don't want a fire caused by a toaster! If I go a month with no further problems I'll re-visit the star rating. BTW, this thing is supposed to be "brushed stainless steel" -- I don't believe it. The case won't attract a magnet and feels/sounds like plastic when tapped. DBS PS In exploring this issue I note that my unit doesn't have any serial number on the bottom (as someone else here already noticed). I bought this mainly because I was tired of using my toaster oven to toast bread. I expected it to be much quicker but, beyond that, had no expectations. My selection of this particular unit was based mostly on physical design -- it looked nice. After using this for a couple of months I've found, to my surprise, that I actually think this toaster is significantly better than any other toaster (admittedly always much less expensive ones) I've owned. It toasts bread much quicker, more evenly and all-around better. It looks good doing it. The "a little more" button isn't crucial but it's nice to have. Not everyone will see added value -- it's a toaster, after all. But, if you're particular about appliances, this may be worth the extra money.

I was hesitant to purchase this item because of the price. Let's face it, when it all comes down to it, does it toast my bread? The quick answer is yes. I purchase whole wheat toast bread fresh from my local bakery. Frankly, it's the best. The toasting is even although if you had to be picky, the top section does burn a little hotter. Work perfectly for bagels and english muffins. The up and down mechanism is smooth and quiet. What a treat! My previous toaster shot out my bread onto the floor! You'll have to fuss with the levels until you get it to where you like it. The toaster is gorgeous and solid. Very easy to operate. My conclusion, it's well worth it! The bonus — my wife loves it too! If money is no object, then I would highly recommend this toaster.

I am exceptionally pleased with this purchase. In 65 years of being the one to make these choices and provide occasional cleaning and repair, I can say after two weeks of use, this toaster is in the elite class as a consumer product. Every feature is well thought out and useful; toasting is generally even. The brushed aluminum was a surprise, but is really appreciated as the polished stainless always needed wiping. Historically I have purchased (always a 2 slice); first a fully automatic chrome Sunbeam 35 yrs+, second a stainless (real) Kitchen-Aid, 29+ years, third an entry level Hamilton-Beach purchased for occasional use (1/4 of the cost of the Breville) and used full time after the Kitchen-Aid died. But it was very poorly made as the bread support brackets were thin metal and easily distorted, so after three repairs, retired to emergency use. Designed in Australia and manufactured in China under strict quality control was acceptable for 2025. Highly recommended!

I hesitated about spending so much money on a toaster that only has one job to do. But this is worth the money. Toasts bread and bagels evenly. The lift and look feature is great. I've had it for 3 months now and I'm glad I bought it.

I have had this toaster two weeks, so far, so good. I make toast every day. The primary job of any toaster is to toast and to toast consistently evenly. The Breville die cast certainly scores high in this regard. It has yet to do otherwise. This unit is 90% digital and very easy to use. The only two manual functions are set the selection and push the button. It is a solid unit, excellent construction and is adequately stylish. My reason for only four stars is that the unit is poor value for the money, is overpriced and it should come with a 3 year warranty, not a 1 year. Moreover, Breville is a challenge to deal with if you need a repair or replacement. In respect to Amazon, the delivery was prompt, ahead of schedule and in excellent condition. In this pandemic, way to go Amazon, well done!

It’s tough to rate this 5/5 on “value for money” just because I think it’s a little absurd that anyone would pay $200+ CAD for a toaster...and yet, here I am, doing it for the second time. There's nothing wrong with the first machine, let me explain. I was married to the kind of man who grumbled at length about anything he found annoying. This included our plastic 2-slice toaster, which we’d picked up from a discount store way back when we first moved in together. It was cheaply made and toasted inconsistently. Eventually, tired of the daily ranting, I donated it and bought him the most expensive toaster I could find, hoping that would improve his quality of life, at least at breakfast. (This was quite a few years ago and I had ordered it from a department store. I had to pick it up at the store and the kindly older sales rep was a little alarmed to see how much it cost, until I explained that I was trying to keep my husband happy.) It worked, to an extent. He did like the toaster and stopped grumbling (about toast, at least). He’s a machinist and particular about materials & finishes; the Breville is a gorgeous appliance. In fact, he liked it so much that he insisted on keeping it when we finally split up (don't worry, we are both much happier now). Two years post split, I don’t miss him at all but I sure missed that toaster. I’d bought a stainless steel toaster when I moved out and I hated it. For a while, it only toasted one side of the bread, and then it broke. After that, I finally broke down and ordered my own Breville. It is a beautiful appliance and I regret nothing. It is well-built, the controls are precise and accurate, it looks amazing on my counter, and it toasts like a dream. Was it the frugal choice? No, but amortized over time it's worth the investment. And now that I have the “a bit more” button again, my life is complete. My toast is perfect, every time. My mornings are better and thus my entire quality of life has improved. Maybe this isn’t the toaster for you, but it’s the toaster for me. I finally understand what it means to be treated well and I hope you can also find a way to set standards. If you can find the means in any way, don't put up with a toaster (or a partner) who treats you terribly. I’ll never settle again. And if I remarry I'm putting this toaster in my pre-nup.